Matchday thread - Toon v Chelsea

[seaside nipper]

Well I endured that, however a very acceptable result
Two games to go, now lets give it to Arsenal next week

[Don Sholeone]

Massive result, but we need to get something from Arsenal too. If we aim for 2nd then CL takes care of itself.

[Slim999]

Lucky to win I would say given thst 2nd half

Isak was absolutely shyte today . Couldn't pass water.

The most revealing thing for me was how the coaching team changed a back 5 to a back 4, .... and then we lost everything in midfield.

Our midfield when at full strength have power & vision - but our ball retention / getting caught innoisession can be dreadful.

I'd definitely like to see a back 3 / 5 at Arsenal.

It works for us .

[seaside nipper]

This Chelsea side is insufferable... they've got so many w****** in their team.

^^This ^^

[lassassinblanc]

Massive

[bodacious benny]

Lucky to win I would say given thst 2nd half

Isak was absolutely shyte today . Couldn't pass water.

The most revealing thing for me was how the coaching team changed a back 5 to a back 4, .... and then we lost everything in midfield.

Our midfield when at full strength have power & vision - but our ball retention / getting caught innoisession can be dreadful.

I'd definitely like to see a back 3 / 5 at Arsenal.

It works for us .

Not sure I’d say lucky - other than one Pope save from Cucurella what did they offer? Possession is all very well but they did absolutely nothing with it.

[overseasTOON]

My Dad in Miami woke up extra early to watch the match.

I opted to listen on the radio.

For 60 fricken minutes he called me when I was playing the radio through my phone! I missed so much.

f*** you Dad!!

[FOGGONTHETYNE]

Lucky to win I would say given thst 2nd half

Isak was absolutely shyte today . Couldn't pass water.

The most revealing thing for me was how the coaching team changed a back 5 to a back 4, .... and then we lost everything in midfield.

Our midfield when at full strength have power & vision - but our ball retention / getting caught innoisession can be dreadful.

I'd definitely like to see a back 3 / 5 at Arsenal.

It works for us .

Just needed the 3 pts regardless how we achieved it, they have a good side all be it their away form isn't great but they also new the importance of a victory and were always gonna fight for it, to be third with 20 wins this season after not being active in 3 transfer windows is a tremendous achievement, and we could still get 2nd

[Colly]

I genuinely don't think I've seen us play worse than that against 10 men, and I include that Liverpool one from last season. I don't even think you can blame the tactics either, all the switches were sensible and logical but no one in front of the defense was at the races whatsoever. Gordon, Barnes and Isak all utter s**** (and Isak in our own half continues to be hazardous, he can't keep a ball), the midfield again lacking Joelinton's physicality.

Mind you it helps when the ref has zero control over a game and going for man instead of ball is fair game, Livramento lucky not to be badly injured by Neto and someone tried to do the same to Krafth on the other side. Palmer and Enzo could have been off just through dissent by half time. And as someone mentioned, how Caicedo wasn't booked is ludicrous.

Oh well, 3 points the main thing.

[Murphy's Marvellous Grin]

We need to get someone in that can do Joelinton's job when he's not available. He's not glasswork like Wilson or whomever, but he has had his injuries. He's clearly important to the midfield balance along with Bruno and Tonali. That midfield three is frighteningly good now it's clicked in to place, as it always looked on paper. But when Joelinton is out, it shows. Last season we didn't even have Tonali (mostly) and we struggled massively in the many months Joelinton was out injured.

Anderson wouldn't have developed to what he is now without the move to forest, he's exposed to different tactics and football, and got more first team chances than he'd have got here. If there's any opportunity to bring him back, I think we need to snap it up.

[bodacious benny]

Who tho? I literally can’t think of a single player who is like Joelinton.

People have said Ndidi, he’s a DM but he’s nothing like Joelinton.

[Colly]

There is no one like Joelinton. Can we clone Joelinton?

[Murphy's Marvellous Grin]

Joelinton wasn't even Joelinton a few years ago.

It's not just needing a combative midfielder or a CDM. It's about being the third person for our midfield dynamiic. Which is hard.

[FOGGONTHETYNE]

Joelinton wasn't even Joelinton a few years ago.

He was Jokelinton

[FOGGONTHETYNE]

I'm 100% certain Cole Palmer got his look and haircut straight out the Beano. He's like a Plug cosplayer.

or a variation of pedros old basin cut

[FOGGONTHETYNE]

I like McCoist but how on earth could he claim he didn’t think it was a red

Because he played for sunderland mate

His bias towards Newcastle is like Shearers towards Sunderland.....i.e. Zero!

[Over The Line]

I like McCoist but how on earth could he claim he didn’t think it was a red

Because he played for sunderland mate

His bias towards Newcastle is like Shearers towards Sunderland.....i.e. Zero!

He's never struck me as being massively biased against us, i remember in the champions league he was practically ready to join the fans in the stadium he was enjoying it that much.

Not sure if he's just trying to provide a balanced view as someone said or being an ex striker, trying to give the striker the benefit of the doubt.

[Colly]

I'd agree with that, he's always seemed very balanced for the games I've watched.

I think I've told my story before of arriving stupidly early at Villa last season to just miss him taking photos with our fans before going up to the gantry (I assumed it was just fans taking pics... Still gutted). He came back down after full time to realise it was going to be a while before we all got out, so he just chatted with our lot for ages with Andy Townsend tutting and Graeme Le Saux looking exasperated with a Waitrose bag in hand, living up to the laziest possible Graeme le Saux stereotype.

[Don Sholeone]

I do like McCoist, I think he's got a genuine passion and excitement for the game, he doesn't want to see red cards and that's how I saw it with the Jackson red. I think he was trying (maybe a little too much) to play it down as intentional as he doesn't want it to be intentional.

I do find him very level headed and non reactionary. Although I do remember him going ballistic when PSG got the pen for the Livramento "handball', was absolutely disgusted

[originallad]

McCoist is the best pundit out there imo.